Chol HaMoed Pesach 2026 - Daytrip to Zippori

Monday 6th April 2025, Chol HaMoed Pesach

This is going to be an incredible Pesach Chol HaMoed tour.  

Imagine stepping into the very heart of Jewish intellectual and spiritual life during the formative years of the sealing of the already (by that time) ancient Oral Torah — the place where Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi (Judah the Prince), simply known as "Rebbi", lived his final years, presided over the Sanhedrin, and accomplished one of the greatest feats in Jewish history: the redaction and compilation of the Mishnah around 200 CE.

This is Zippori (Sepphoris) — the ancient capital of the Galilee, described in the Talmud as a thriving Jewish center with 18 synagogues and houses of study.  After the Bar Kokhba revolt, great rabbinic families migrated here, transforming Zippori into the epicentre of Torah scholarship. It was here that Rebbi gathered the vast oral traditions, arranged them logically into the six orders we study today, and ensured the survival of the Oral Law for perpetuity— the foundation of the entire Talmud!

With experienced English speaking tour guide Yoni Lemel, at Zippori National Park, you'll walk the same streets where the Sanhedrin convened, where sages debated halacha, and where Rebbi himself may have bathed in the grand public pools (as recounted in the Talmud, Tractate Megillah). Stand in the remarkably preserved 5th-century synagogue and gaze at its stunning mosaic floor blending profound Jewish symbols (menorah, shofar, etrog, lulav) with biblical scenes and a zodiac wheel, a beautiful testament to how our ancestors wove Torah into everyday life amid Roman influences.

The world-famous mosaics of the Roman villa district reveal the city's sophistication — including the enchanting "Mona Lisa of the Galilee," a masterpiece of ancient artistry that has captivated visitors for centuries.

From the top of the Crusader fortress (rebuilt by the Ottomans), the panoramic view over the rolling Galilee hills reminds us why this was called the "ornament of all Galilee" — a place of beauty, resilience, and unbreakable Jewish continuity.

For any group passionate about archaeology, the Talmud and the legacy of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, Zippori isn't just ruins — it's a living bridge to the Mishnah's final arrangement, where you can literally stand where Torah was miraculously preserved. It's an inspiring, deeply meaningful journey that connects you directly to our sages and the roots of authentic Judaism.

Join us on this Chol HaMoed adventure — walk in the footsteps of Rebbi, touch the mosaics of our heritage, and feel the enduring spirit of Torah that began right here in Zippori. This is more than a tour; it's a homecoming to one of the most pivotal chapters in Jewish history!

Provisional itinerary

08:45: Tel Aviv Savidor Station start.

09:30: Netanya pickup.

10:00: Zichron Mal pickup. Toilet break.

11:00 Arrive Zippori National Park.

11:00-11:10: Toilets.

11:10-11:30: Introduction and film.

11:30-12:00: Picnic.

12:00-15:30: Tour of lower / upper city.

15:30-15:45: Toilets and souvenir shop.

15:45: Leave Zippori NP.

16:45: Zichron Mal drop off. Toilet break.

17:30: Netanya drop off.

18:15: Arrive Tel Aviv, Savidor Station.

Discounts for seniors, students, children under 18 and group bookings.

You must book in advance.  Cash payments on the day will not be accepted.

Tickets are non-refundable.  They are, however, transferable, so if you change your mind or can't go on the tour for whatever reason, you can transfer the ticket to someone else.  If the tour is cancelled by the organisers for whatever reason, you will get a full refund.

It is recommended you bring a water bottle, sunscreen, a hat and wear closed shoes suitable for walking on sometimes rough terrain.  Please be prepared to bring suitable rain wear if the forecast requires it.  We expect the tour to ahead in all but extreme weather.

Included: 

Coach transport from and to Tel Aviv, Netanya and Zichron Yaakov.

Entrance to National Park.

Guided tour.

Excluded: 

Lunch, drinks and snacks (bring your own).